


Flufftember #3

by adrianna_m_scovill



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26336062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrianna_m_scovill/pseuds/adrianna_m_scovill
Summary: Flufftember prompts:Barson - Christmas, family fluff, cuddling
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Olivia Benson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66
Collections: Flufftember 2020





	Flufftember #3

Barba’s nose and ears were nearly as red as Noah’s scarf, and the snowflakes clinging to his damp curls almost blended in with the gray at his temples. 

She stood back to watch for a minute, unable to keep the fond smile from her face as her son struggled to maneuver the large ball of snow he was rolling for the snowman’s head. Her own ears were tucked safely inside the warmth of her hat, but both guys were hatless and soaked through their clothes. The snow was wet and heavy, and she had to quell her overprotective instincts. They were having so much fun, she didn’t have the heart to put an early end to things.

“How’s this, Rafa?” Noah asked.

Benson looked at Barba and realized he’d been looking at her while she watched her son, and she smiled at the soft expression on his face. She walked toward him, suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to kiss his cold cheek, and he laughed quietly when she pressed her lips to his pink, chilled skin. 

“It’ll take hours to thaw you out,” she murmured into his ear.

“I doubt that,” he returned, and she laughed again. She couldn’t believe they’d managed to salvage the holiday; in spite of everything, Noah was happy. Barba was happy. She was happy.

On second thought, she could believe it. Together, they could accomplish anything. Being displaced from their apartment on Christmas Eve hadn’t been in their plans, but nothing—not even a broken water pipe—could take the Christmas spirit from their family. As long as they were together.

“It’s perfect,” Barba answered Noah’s question, stepping toward the boy. “Here, help me heft it up.”

“Mom, you help, too!” Noah exclaimed, swiping at his wet curls with a wetter mitten. His cheeks and nose were pink, although nothing compared to Barba’s. 

“Good call, bringing in the muscle,” Barba said, winking at Noah. Noah laughed.

“I heard that.”

“I said it out loud, love muffin,” Barba returned, and Noah sank down into the snow, laughing. 

“Really? Love muffin?”

Barba raised his eyebrows. “Snickerdoodle?” His smile was impish when she narrowed her eyes. “Babycakes?”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re hungry?”

Barba laughed, looking at Noah. “Starving, actually. We should—” He broke off in mid-sentence when the slushy snowball splattered against the side of his head, and he blinked in stunned disbelief as he slowly turned to look at Benson.

Noah was laughing so hard he could barely breathe, and she couldn’t blame him. The expression on Barba’s face was comedy gold, and she felt a giggle bubble out of her throat. She clapped a snowy glove over her mouth, but it was too late. Barba bent and scooped up a handful of snow, straightening slowly as he patted it into a ball between his gloves.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned.

“Something funny, Noah?” Barba asked. He lobbed the wet snowball gently toward the boy, catching him in the chin, and Noah threw himself backward with a shout.

“I’m hit!”

“You retaliate against my _son_?” Benson said, grabbing up snow and stepping forward. Barba ducked and lifted his shoulders, but there was no escape as she plopped the snow against the back of his neck and down into his scarf.

He gasped out a curse, but it quickly turned into a laugh when she was hit by a double handful of sloppy snow. Noah was scrambling to his feet, throwing snow with reckless abandon, peppering both adults.

“Truce, truce,” Barba laughed, holding up a hand.

“No mercy!” Noah shouted, flinging more snow.

“Hot cocoa!”

Barba looked at her. “Really? Bribes?”

“With marshmallows?” Noah asked, pausing with a hand drawn back.

“Of course,” she answered.

Noah considered before looking at Barba. “Whattaya got?” he asked. 

Barba wiped the grin from his face, schooling his features into his best neutral expression. “I have the authority to allow you access to _two_ presents tonight instead of the previously agreed upon _one_.”

“Are they socks or underwear?”

Barba heard Benson choke back a laugh, but he kept his stare on Noah. “No, Mr. Benson-Barba. No clothing in either package.”

“Hmm.” Noah sighed and dropped the snow, brushing his mittens together. “Okay, deal.”

Barba and Benson exchanged a look before both bending down to scoop up a handful of snow, tossing them in unison to splatter against Noah’s head. He went down again, laughing as he rolled. 

“Alright, it’s going to be dark soon,” Benson said. “Let’s get this snowman finished.”

“Snow _person_ , Liv,” Barba admonished, shaking his head. He held down a hand to help Noah to his feet. 

She held up Barba’s old necktie, which Noah had convinced him to donate to the snowman. “Shouldn’t we put this on before the head?” It was already tied. Barba and Noah had practiced together until Noah was able to do it without help.

“This is why you’re the smart one in the family,” Barba said, giving her a quick cold-lipped kiss as he plucked the tie from her fingers. 

“What does that make you?”

“Cold and hungry.” He handed the tie to Noah. “And incredibly lucky,” he added, leaning in for another, longer kiss. He patted his snowy glove against her face, grinning as he drew back. 

Noah looped the tie over the top of the snowman’s midsection, making sure it was hanging straight. “Okay, you two put on the head!” he instructed.

“Yes, sir,” they answered in unison, shooting each other a smile as they bent down and grabbed the boulder of snow. They lifted it together and plopped it on top of the others, and Noah re-straightened the tie.

“Is that good?” Noah asked. He glanced at Barba and realized that Barba and Benson were staring at each other. “Rafa. Dad,” he said, getting Barba’s attention. “Is that good?”

Barba looked at the snowman as Benson sidestepped over to him and looped an arm around his waist. “Perfect,” he said. “Now let’s get inside and order room service before my face freezes off.”

Noah looked at him. “It’s already gone,” he deadpanned, and Benson threw her head back to laugh.

Barba clapped a gloved hand to his face, eyes widening in horror. “Oh God, you’re right! How’ll I drink hot cocoa without lips?”

Noah shrugged. “I’ll have yours,” he offered. He giggled when Barba tickled his ribs through the thick layer of his winter coat. “Can we stay here forever?” he asked as they started toward the door that would lead them off the roof and back into the hotel. 

“Yeah,” Barba said, poking playfully at Benson’s arm while they walked, “can we?”

“Ask me again when we see the room service bill,” she answered, leaning into his side with a smile. 

“Are you sure Santa can find us here?” Noah asked.

“Positive,” Barba said as he opened the door and ushered the boy into the building. “Have you ever known me to be wrong about anything?”

“Good thing we’re all wearing boots,” Benson said, and Noah laughed along with the adults even though he didn’t get the joke.

*

“It’s weird not having a Christmas tree,” she said quietly, looking around at the few decorations they’d spread through the hotel room. “Sitting here, it barely feels like Christmas.”

Noah, after a hot bath, food, and cocoa, and after opening two presents, was sound asleep in the other bed. He’d barely made it halfway through The Polar Express. Barba and Benson were snuggled together against several pillows. She had her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest, and Barba couldn’t imagine wanting anything more. He kissed her head, watching the credits roll down the muted tv screen. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said quietly. “Feels like a bit of a Christmas miracle to me.”

“What’s that?” she asked, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

“You. Noah. Us. All of this.”

“Mm.” She turned her face to kiss his shoulder. “I love you.”

He answered with a dramatic sigh. “You just want me to get up and put the rest of the presents out.”

“Now who’s the smart one,” she said, patting his chest as he chuckled. “But I do love you, too.”

“Maybe we should make this a Christmas tradition,” he said, tightening his arm around her instead of moving to get out of bed. 

“Broken water pipe?”

“Or we could simply stay in a hotel without the stress and property damage.”

“It has been a surprisingly good evening,” she murmured. She sounded close to sleep, and he ducked his head in an attempt to see her face. “And for once, I don’t have to cook Christmas breakfast,” she added on a yawn.

He picked up the remote and turned off the tv. “Save my spot,” he said, pressing another kiss to her hair. “I’ll be right back.”

She hummed sleepily in agreement, shifting down under the covers when he untangled himself from her limbs and slipped from the bed. He double-checked to make sure Noah was sleeping before pulling the suitcase out and quickly arranging Santa’s presents in the corner of the room, adding them to the ones marked from Benson, Barba, Lucia, and their friends. 

He made a quick trip into the bathroom before rejoining his wife in bed, and he turned out the lamp before rolling toward her. She snuggled into his warmth with a contented sigh, and Barba drifted into sleep with the thought that this was the best Christmas of his life so far, and the first of many to come with his family. 


End file.
